1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for determining the probable location of subterranean oil and gas deposits. More particularly, it relates to a method for determining the probable location of oil and gas deposits using severe weather phenomena such as tornados and associated phenomena to identify the location of subterranean petroleum deposits.
2. Background
Methods of determining oil and gas location are classified as either geophysical or geochemical methods. Geophysical methods are deductive and symptomatic in nature and are characterized by structural or lithological features such as sedimentary rock and subsurface and surface structural strata and density. Seismic refraction and reflection, magnetic anomalies, gravitational variations, and scanning echo sounding analysis are some of the techniques used in geophysical prospecting. For example, Helms (U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,611) discloses that oil and gas prospecting can be carried out by analysis of variation in the earth's vertical electric current and its spectrum modulations which are caused by the existence of surface and subsurface, natural and manmade, objects and deposits.
Geochemical methods typically are inductive and are characterized by phenomena that are directly or indirectly caused by leaks and seepage of hydrocarbons from underground strata or the ocean floor. Many of the geochemical methods require sampling and chemical analysis of 1) seeped oil and gas in many forms including vapor, liquid, and solids, aerosols, and suspensions and 2) organic matter, biochemical materials and organisms in the soil, water, seawater, or air near the ground surface. The detection and analysis of these and other geochemical-related phenomena can be carried out with remote sensing devices on satellites, airplanes, or marine vehicles. Numerous articles have been published and patents granted on the use of geochemical methods for the determination of the location of oil and gas deposits. These commonly used geochemical technologies employ methods to access prospecting information directly from sampling and analysis of hydrocarbon components in air, aerosols, water, and soil. For example, Milly, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,489 discloses a method for determining petroleum location using wind-borne gaseous hydrocarbons.
Recently, a number of efforts that correlate the occurrence of oil and gas deposits with natural phenomena. These methods use correlation studies that indirectly determine petroleum location with certain naturally occurring phenomena. Sundburg, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,911, Brame in U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,127, and Grant et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,249 have developed remote sensing technology for use with Landsat satellites for the detection of hydrocarbons as so-called “bright spots” by processing spectral pixel signals reflected from the earth's surface. Calhoun has carried out a comparative study on a number of geochemical exploration methods given in “How 12 geochemical methods fared in GERT project in Permian basin,” Oil and Gas Journal, May 13, 1991, pp. 62-68.
Tompkins sets forth a unified model to explain many of the technologies used in petroleum exploration. These technologies include: 1) direct hydrocarbon-leakage determinations, 2) surface ion movement of carbonate and uranium, thorium, calcium, sulfur, iron, iodine, potassium, nickel, copper and zinc based ions to form surface halos about the petroleum deposit, 3) Landsat and high altitude photographs to determine, tonal, vegetation, drainage and erosional anomalies, 4) induced polarization phenomena, 5) telluric and magnetic electrical telluric patterns, 6) earth radiation analysis (radiometrics) as determined from, for example, soil contaminant patterns of uranium, thallium, bismuth, etc. and radon outgassing rates, and 7) micromagnetic phenomena (magnetic horizontal gradient anomalies). The Tompkins' model is based on a known zone of negative charge surrounding a petroleum deposit, upward leakage of ions and gas from the deposit, and a redox cell established as a result of the influx of oxygen through the land surface above the petroleum deposit. Oil & Gas Journal, Sep. 24, 1990, pp 126-134.
As also discussed by Tompkins, the exploration of oil and gas is expensive. Current industry statistics show that the success rate for wild-cat drilling based on geophysical methods is about 1 in 8 with the exploration and drilling costs adding $16-22 to the price of a barrel of oil. The elimination of dry prospects prior to large drilling expenditures is a serious matter in the industry. Some geochemical techniques are said to increase the success rate from 1 in 8 to 1 in 3 by eliminating dry prospects. However, even at this rate, exploration and drilling costs add about $6-9 to the price of a barrel of oil. A less costly and more accurate way to eliminate dry prospects prior to the expenditure of large sums for drilling continues to be a critical and long felt need in the petroleum industry.
In the seemingly unrelated area meteorology, one of the most challenging problems has been the search for an explanation for cause of tornado and tornado-like phenomena. Although the occurrence and weather conditions surrounding tornado-like phenomena has been well studied, there currently is no explanation as to why tornadoes are formed. As Dr. Robert Davis-Jones states in the August 1995 issue of Scientific American (page 56), “Despite understanding well how large-scale rotation develops at middle and low levels of a mesocyclone, we have yet to pin down why tornadoes are formed.” Although some researchers have attempted to explain tornadoes on the basis of a surface friction theory, Dr. Davis-Jones notes that “The friction theory does not explain, however, why a tornadic vortex signature up in the clouds sometimes foreshadows the touchdown of a tornado by 10 to 20 minutes.”
One of the objects of the present invention is to establish the correlation between severe weather such as tornadoes with underground petroleum deposits.
Another object of the present invention is to establish a site for further petroleum exploration using the origin of the severe weather, that is, the severe-weather inducing site as the location of the severe weather.
Another object of the present invention is to establish an area of highest severe weather origins as a probable petroleum deposit location.
Another object of the present invention is to take advantage of modern meteorological methods such as Doppler radar to determine the initial appearance of a tornado vortex signature as the origin of severe weather.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an accurate and effective method of oil and gas exploration.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a low cost method of oil exploration.